Performance - Unconsoled

Label: Too Much Information Records
Release date: 09/08/10
Website: Performance on Myspace
After releasing debut album, (We Are) Performance in 2007, Mancunian four-piece Performance went away for a few years. Billie Marsden left to pursue other projects. Joe Stretch released some novels. Joe Cross helped produce and write songs for Hurts and The Sound of Arrows. Now it is with a hefty sigh of relief and upon a stomach full of excitement that I receive the announcement that Performance ...

Label: Too Much Information Records
Release date: 09/08/10
Website:Performance on Myspace
After releasing debut album, (We Are) Performance in 2007, Mancunian four-piece Performance went away for a few years. Billie Marsden left to pursue other projects. Joe Stretch released some novels. Joe Cross helped produce and write songs for Hurts and The Sound of Arrows. Now it is with a hefty sigh of relief and upon a stomach full of excitement that I receive the announcement that Performance are releasing things again.

Unconsoled seems to be a grasp at breaking the mainstream, stripping their electo pop sound right down to reveal a middle of the road indie piece of average. The track is introduced with Stretch singing over what sounds like a promising chord progression; it sounds like itâs going somewhere and itâs going to explode into an anthematic, foot stomping tune. However, it soon reveals itself as very samey, with no more than a few chord changes throughout the entirety of three whole minutes, basically, once youâve heard the introduction, youâve heard the song. It really doesnât get any better.
Despite this, Stretch still manages to convey a perfect sense of urgency in delivering his intellectual lyrics, punctuated as they are with the bandâs trademark morbidly depressing insights. Removing all trace of synth-pop that was emblematic of previous releases, it certainly seems that Performance are going in a new direction for their second album, and even though Unconsoled seems to be a bit, well, boring, I look forward to hearing what else Performance have in store for their fans.